Re: Ctrl + Q does not work

[Julien Bect]

On 23/11/2013 18:06, Torsten wrote:
> On 23.11.2013 17:43, Julien Bect wrote:
> > >On 22/11/2013 17:38, Rik wrote:
> > > >>This is not a bug. Within the command window the environment should be
> > > >>exactly like the CLI. This means responding to GNU Readline key
> > > >>bindings. Try Ctrl+Q when the GUI focus is in another window, such as
> > > >>the variable viewer, and then it will work.
> > >
> > >IMHO, this a very peculiar and unexpected behaviour.
> > >
> > >All other GUIs that I know of (Rstudio for R, Spyder for Python, Scilab,
> > >Matlab...) respond to Ctrl + Q even when the focus is the command window.
> > >
> > >Is this really the behaviour that will be implemented in the released
> > >Octave GUI ?
> > >
> > >@++
> > >Julien
> Many octave users are used to the GNU readline interface. We have to
> decide whether the control keys are processed by the GUI or are passed
> to readline. The shortcut Ctrl-Q is only used once per session. I think
> it is acceptable to type "exit" or use Alt-F4 instead.

I understood from the discussions on this list that the GUI is meant to 
bring new users to Octave. And for those users, I am pretty sure that 
this kind of inconsistencies (having shortcuts like Ctrl+Q, Ctrl+O or 
Ctrl+Maj+F with a meaning that changes when the focus is on the command 
window) will be disturbing and considered as bugs.

Even without that, I think that this design choice goes against the most 
basic rules of HMI design (simplicity, consistency...).

Some thoughts about these issues (from my own user perspective) :

a) Since Ctrl+D is the standard shortcut for closing the Octave CLI, why 
not use the same shortcut everywhere in the GUI (instead of Ctrl+Q) and 
change the File menu accordingly ?

b) Concerning Ctrl+O, I would even prefer to have no shortcut at all 
indicated in the File menu, than having "Ctrl+O" mentioned but not 
working when I'm in the command window.

c) Another option, to restore at least consistency (at the expense of 
simplicity), the shortcuts in the File menu could be grayed when they 
stop being valid, i.e., when the focus is on the command window.

Just my two (or three) cents.